Bose QuietComfort 2 Headphones Review - Intro

Bose is known for producing headphones that look great and wear well; the QuietComfort2 headphones are no exception. This pair of over-ears have a subtle and classy appearance. The padding has a very soft, pleather-esque covering, and sits very gently over the ears. The cups both tilt and swivel, which help provide a good fit.

The QC2s also have a fairly good range of functionality. Their closed-back design and noise cancellation features mean they're ideal to take on a noisy commute or plane ride, even if you simply want to use them to block out external sounds. In terms of home use, these qualities allow you to catch a midnight flick without waking up your spouse.

The downside, however, is this attention to aesthetic detail comes at the expense of performance. Their frequency response for higher frequencies is a bit erratic, which causes sound in that area to sound unnatural. Also, the headphones have a bit of a hard time keeping symmetrical emphasis: for certain frequencies the left channel is louder than the right, and vice versa. On the positive end, they are capable of very loud playback without distortion becoming a factor, and their noise cancellation performs its duties well. The Bose QuietComfort2 headphones cost $299.99.